Jesus' Prayer Request

I have never thought of it this way before, but it hit me this morning and it suddenly gave me a different perspective.

I have always thought of Jesus' words, "pray to the LORD of the harvest" as a command (Luke 10:2).  It has never bothered me that this is considered a command because Jesus' heart is so pure and full of love. A Shepherd longing for the care of His sheep. 

But this morning as I was reading about a tree producing good fruit, if it is good it will produce good. If it is bad it will produce bad fruit. I was praying over a friend and thanking God that she is willing to listen to Jesus' PRAYER REQUEST to be a laborer. She is willing to go into the harvest where there are few laborers. I see good fruit in her.

My heart immediately felt deep awe. Did you catch my prayer thought?  

Praying for the LORD of the Harvest to send more laborers into the harvest was Jesus' PRAYER REQUEST to the 70 disciples. 

When someone gives me a prayer request, they are revealing what is deep inside them. It reveals their love and honestly desire for fruit. Interestingly, it can reveal quite a bit about the heart of the person both good and bad. 

I take prayer requests seriously. I confess I can be overwhelmed by so many, at times. But, I know it reveals the heart so I try to pray in the moment because life moves fast.

This made me wonder, how many times did Jesus actually give the disciples a prayer request?

Based on what came to my heart, I had two immediately come to mind. This one and at the Garden of Gethsemene. 

1. To pray for laborers to be sent (Luke 10:2)

2. To pray against temptation (Luke 22:40)

Both are often discussed as commands. Rightfully so, but what if we looked at them with the same heart as a prayer request? Not just any prayer request, but a prayer request from the heart of Jesus? How might this change our heart?  How might this shift our prayers?

As I considered both of these circumstances (need for laborers and temptation), they require great strength, well, actually supernatural strength. We cannot do either in our own power or authority. But, if we invite God into these then we discover supernatural power and authority to slay temptation, go, send, and equip so others can slay temptation, go, send and equip.

I don't know about you, but I love the heart of Jesus. He knows we struggle. He knows our world is a struggle. He cares enough that He gave us the way to pray in these circumstances through His prayer request! When we pray for laborers and against temptation, we are praying the heart of God. This makes my heart so much more willing to seek intentionality in my prayers.

Father, please give us ears to hear!  Help us to know how to pray! Help us to stay awake and pray. Help us to slay temptation! We see the pain in our world. We understand why Jesus had compassion on the suffering of the people. 

We beg You for more laborers, people who are willing to bear good fruit because they have prayed against temptation.peopke who are willing to go, eqip, and send.

Come and show us how to honor Your prayer requests so our world might know You. In Jesus' name, amen! 

If you think of another moment when Jesus gives a prayer request please share it with me! 

It is so important to be in the Word, be with Jesus, so we can be transformed.

Shalom y'all!

Mustard Seed of Faith

Do you ever think, "I just dont have that kind of faith?" Or "I fear if I faced that I wouldn't have enough faith to handle it!" 

Sometimes, I catch myself thinking these kinds of thoughts as I watch someone walk by faith in painful, difficult or trying situations. I will often say, "God, I am 5! Help! I dont know what to say or do!" 

That is a very small, tiny prayer that feels very limited in faith. 

Yet, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you coukd say to this mountain, "Move from here to there," and it would move. Nothing would be impossible" (Matthew 17:20).

A mustard seed! Do you see how tiny it is? Do you see how incredibly big it can get?

Just say the prayer! That teeny tiny prayer is a mustard seed of faith because it acknowledges you need God! 

Faithing forward one mustard seed at time is one powerful way to live. Over time, you will realize you have a whole jar of mustard seeds to spread around so others might have faith because of the huge mustard tree of faith has taken root in your heart.

Go ahead, faith forward one mustard seed at a time! I know I am!

Beloved

One Word can capture me and I can sit and dwell on it for a long time. Right now God has me dwelling on "Beloved."  When I understand how beloved I am to God it radically changes my response and causes me to be willing to change in the moment. It also reminds me that God sees you as beloved, too. So, I am on a search.

This morning in my journey, I sat on one verse instead of my normal routine.

Dueteronomy 33:12
"Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests on His shoulders."

I immediately imagine two things. A shepherd with a sheep on his shoulders and a child riding piggy back on his father's shoulders.

A sense of tenderness and intimacy covers both images. I see care filled with touch and a soothing tone that comforts as well as delights.

In the sheep image, I see rest, healing, safety, and restoration. I see respair... rest and repair.

In the child image, I see playfulness, carefree, delight, and contentment.  It is luxurious and free.

Truly, all of these are supported in Scritpure by other texts.

Our God, The Creator of all things, delights to dwell with us. He is present. He is intimate. He comes to us and yes, He will carry us. Why?  Because He is a giving and generous God.

Yes, sometimes, like with the sheep, His carrying might come in the form if a discipline, but note, it is while resting on His shoulders being carried through the process.

Like a child, we are reminded His rest is luxurious and playful. It is not filled with works that weigh us down. It is done while He carries us laughing and bouncing with us on the journey.

My morning dwelling with my Beloved has brought me such joy. How about you?

BE LOVED, beloved of God! 

IF... the motive matters!

I was just reading how Satan said to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God..."  This reminded me that theologians will often use "If" by saying, "If this is true..." They are using the same tactic that Satan used to cause doubt or test Jesus.

Is this a good idea?

It made me think about the heart motive.

Satan seeks to turn Jesus away from God.

Theologians are seeking to turn people toward God. 

Motive matters.  

What do you think? 

Have you ever had someone speak a truth that caused you confusion? 

Or had someone speak a truth that resonated deep in your bones?  

Motive matters.

Why Peter, James and John?

I was asked this week, "Why did Jesus choose Peter,  James, and John?"

That is a really good question. Why?

There are so many layers to the possibilities.

First, we can truly only deeply invest in a select few. Not everyone can be with us in our highest high and our lowest low. These three were the ones. They were allowed into the Transfiguration and the Garden of Gethsemene. 

Jesus modeled for us a simple pattern of investment. One beloved, a chosen select three to deeply invest in, and twelve to train and equip.

Even though John is called the beloved one, Peter is the one we see Jesus investing in the most of the three. Why? Peter is the one Jesus said, "He was giving the keys to the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 16:19). So, it makes since that Jesus would work deeply in Peter's character, knowledge, counsel, and understanding. The church would be born through his testimony.

But, what of the Sons of Thunder? James and John were known for being hot heads. It would be easy to say it was because Jesus needed to tame these two, but here is the reality.

James was the first Apostle to be martyred. His hot headedness was passion without Holy direction. Could it be that Jesus knew his passion would make him an important witness for God's kingdom? James needed to be present because James was going to give his head on the chopping block of Herod Agrippa. James needed to be fearless as he bore witness. Was Jesus giving him the gift of presence in the highs and lows because He knew it would give the fuel to James' passionate nature to speak boldly even in the face of death?

Now, John, he was the one who called himself the beloved disciple. He was the last of the Apostles to die. Is it possible that he felt beloved because he was the one Jesus knew would suffer through the pain of seeing and experiencing the loss of all his brothers suffering through horrific deaths for simply speaking the truth about Jesus? I wonder how many times John experienced the fright of flight before he penned Revelation.

Yeah, good question!

It makes me also wonder, What about you?  What about me? What is it that Jesus is allowing us to see, experience, or know?  How might these things be unfolding because He knows what we must do for God's kingdom to grow through our testimony? 

I dare say that like Peter, James, and John, we will not know the impact of our testimony today in the economy of the Ancient of Days.

Shalom, Shalom y'all! 

The Transfiguration

In the transfiguration, Jesus' glory was revealed. I once read that the miracle wasn't that Jesus' glory was revealed in that moment, but that it was concealed the rest of the time. Powerful thought.

This is my storyboard to remember this story.

Jesus is in the middle with rays beaming from Him. Moses holds a scroll and Elijah a shepherds stick while Jesus' arms extend as a cross to remind me they have come to talk to Jesus about what will happen in Jerusalem. 

A cloud encircled all of them. This reminds me that the voice of God spoke saying, "This is my Son, whom I love, listen to Him." 

Peter, James and John are just looking up as the Shekina (Glory) is revealed. I use the three figures to remember Peter wanted to create three tabernacles to celebrate this moment. Peter is pointing up so I know he is who spoke up. 

A simple sketch for a profound moment of remembrance. Can you imagine seeing something so miraculous only to be told, "Tell no one of this!" 

Matthew 17:1-13

Tanzanian Prayer Warrior

It was the middle of the night on a 16 hour plane flight. All of the lights were out and the quiet hum of the flight had lulled most to sleep. I needed to go to the bathroom so I walked my way back to the bathroom. It was occupied so I decided to stand and stretch when I noticed this woman in the middle of the bulkhead seat. 

Her light was the only light on in the entire plane. I realized her eyes were closed but her lips were moving. I then noticed that she was holding a Bible in her left hand and a pen in her right hand hovering over her spiral journal. I realized I was witnessing a holy moment. 

It felt so sacred seeing her in her quiet sanctuary praying. She was so beautiful. It was like the Shekina glory of God surrounded her.  I wanted to photograph her so I could try to paint her later, but I knew that that it would be wrong to photograph her so I just stood there and prayed over her while she prayed. 

Then all of a sudden a random man climb over her in the bulkhead seat and stir her out of her prayer. I was able to greet her and tell her she was beautiful. 

After the flight I saw her again, but this time I was able to ask her name. Meet Jane! 

Jane was returning from a family funeral in Tanzania. My heart broke as I introduced her to Danna. I offered to pray and she let me pray over her. Danna and I drew close to her and as I was praying, she fell to her knees right there in the airport on the floor. Danna and I bent low with her as I finished the prayer. Her grief was so raw. My heart broke more sharing the pain of saying good bye for now. I prayed for the God of All Comfort to pour His comfort and compassion on her family. 

When I was done she said, "How like the God of All Comfort to send someone to the airport to give me comfort as I am flying home." 

We took a photo together, hugged goodbye, and then we were off to our flights.  Strangers for a moment bonded in prayer and parting as sisters in Christ. 

When I got home I gave Greg my photo of Jane to him and asked him to have Ai recreate the scene for me so I could use it as my visual. I am amazed at what he was able to recreate for me. 

I call her my Tanzanian Prayer Warrior!